HC Deb 18 December 1957 vol 580 cc405-6
43. Mr. Tilney

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether, in the interests of economy of labour, he will now arrange for the issue of three-year licences to be available to everyone and not merely to those whose names begin with the letters A to F.

Mr. Nugent

Immediate issue of three-year licences to all holders would cause every third year to be a peak year for renewals, involving recruitment of additional staff. To avoid this, the issue of three-year driving licences is being spread over three years. Three-year driving licences are now issued to all drivers, irrespective of surname, who pass the test for the first time.

Mr. Tilney

Would my hon. Friend took at this matter again? If it is a peak period, is there any reason why temporary labour should not be recruited to meet it, and does not this action merely create unnecessary work for two years?

Mr. Nugent

No, Sir. I think that the way in which we are doing it will spread the work out better.

Mr. Strauss

Would not it obviate the difficulty if some licences were issued for two years instead of there being some issued for one and some for three?

Mr. Nugent

I think that that would cause further confusion. I think that the present arrangement is a quite reasonable one. We have worked for many years on a one year basis, and it will not do any harm to go on for another two years.

Sir S. Summers

Will my hon. Friend explain why it takes longer and requires more staff to issue a licence for three years as compared with a licence for one?

Mr. Nugent

I think that my hon. Friend has not followed my reply. If all the licences for three years had to be issued every third year, that would obviously require more staff.